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Second Commonwealth Games Preparation Camp Underway in Tenerife

Leon Reid put through his paces by James Hillier. Photo Credit: Ben Gregory.

Five Northern Ireland athletes have resumed training in Tenerife having now been selected to represent Team NI in the Gold Coast.

Having already attended Athletics NI’s December camp Leon Reid, Adam Kirk-Smith, Kate O’Connor, Ben Reynolds and Adam McMullen are spending a further 10 days training in the Antonio Domíngez Alfonso stadium in Playa De Las Americas.

With daily temperatures of 23C+ the group will continue to reap the benefits of heat acclimation and improved training quality in preparation for Australia.

The group are joined by team coaches Tom Reynolds and Laura Kerr with valuable physiotherapy support from Kerry Kirk (Sport NI Sports Institute) and Robbie Bremner (SNISI Strength and Conditioning Coach.)

Leon Reid (200m) will work closely on camp with his personal coach James Hillier whilst Tomaz Plibersek has travelled to support Adam Kirk Smith (3K Steeplechase.)

Michael O’Connor also joins Kate O’Connor’s coaching team (Heptathlon) whilst Paralympic Champion Jason Smyth is also availing of the warm weather training opportunity and sharing his major championship experience whilst in Tenerife.

Next week five athletes will depart for Athletics NI’s Endurance Camp in Murcia accompanied by Ricky McCann (SNISI Physiologist.)

Director of Coaching and Athlete development Jackie Newton explained: “Both these camps provide a further opportunity for Team NI athletes to refine their individual training and performance behaviours in preparation for the holding camp in Australia and the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Our vision for these Games is athletes arriving at their event in the best physical shape with a mindset that enables them to perform at their personal best".